Liquid-level indicator.



No. 664,328. Patented Dec. l8. I900.

A. LE BLANC. LIQUID LEVEL INDICATOR. (Application filed Apr. 20, 1900.)(No Model.)

W \N\Wm\\\\\\\\\\\\ erro ALEXIS'LE BLANO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

.LlQUlD-LEVEL INDlCATUR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,328, dated December18, 1900.

Application filed April 20, 1900. serial No. 13,606. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Beit known that I, ALEXIS LE BLANO, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, State of NewYork,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-LevelIndicators,

- of which the followingis a full, clear, and ex act description.

This invention relates to tidal indicators,

and in general to apparatus forindicating the level of bodies of liquidswhose level is subject to change or for indicating the position of anybody having a to-and-fro motion, such as an elevator or carrier, theobject being to provide aninstrument of simple construction which can berelied upon for accuracy.

The invention consists of a fixed electrical resistance placed incircuit with a source of current of constant electromotive force incombination with an electrical contact adapted to traverse theresistance in accordance with movements of the liquid-level, to therebyvary the difierence of potential between said contact and one of theterminals of the resistance, which diiference of potential is caused toeffect an indicating instrument or instruments.

The invention also consists of other combinations and details ofconstruction, all of which will be fully hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of theapparatus except the indicating instrument, the casing being in section.Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus, the casing being in horizontalsection. Fig. 3 is a radial section of the wheel upon which theelectrical resistance is carried. Fig. 4 is a front view of theindicating instrument, and Fig. 5 is a diagram of the circuits.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A indicates a casing having anextension at. In the latter is suitably mounted upon a shaft b asprocket -Wheel 0, over the top of which passes a perforated tape orchain at. One end of this chain leads downward through a float box orguide 6 and connects with a float f, sustained upon the surface of thebody of water or liquid whose level is to be indicated. The other end ofthe chain leads downward and connects with a counterweight g of suchsize as to insure a constant degree of immersion of the float f. Theshaftb passes through the wall of the casingA and carries a pinion h,engaging with a gear t' on the shaft j, suitably mounted in bearings jOn this shaft is also rigidly mounted a disk K, preferably of insulatingmaterial, and having disposed on one of its faces a high-resistanceconductor of electricity in the form of a wire 7c, bent to form a seriesof radial loops extending nearly, if not quite, around the entire circleof the disk. These loops lie in grooves and connect, respectively, attheir outer ends, by means of solder orotherwise, with pins 10 extendingthrough the thickness of the disk near its edge. A central annulargroove 7.5 is formed in the periphery of the disk of such depth as tocut into and expose a flat surface on each of the pins k In the sameplane with the groove k of the disk is an arm Z, of conducting material,fixed to the bracket Z and provided with a contact Z projecting into thegroove 1: and resting against the bottom thereof. The bracket Z, whichis insulated from the casing, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with abinding-post Z for the attachment of a conducting-wire.

The indicating instrument, Fig. 4:, is an ordinary galvanometerspecially wound and having a scale indicating feet or fractions thereofand calibrated to suit the maximum limits of the movement of theparticular body of water or liquid whose movements are to be indicated.

The electrical circuits are as follows: A source of electricity(indicated at B)-has its terminals connected directly with therespective terminals 0 and o of the resistance 7t. This source ofelectricity is preferably a battery capable of giving a constantelectromotive force to insure a constant difference of potential betweenthe terminals of the known and fixed resistance 70. For the purpose ofadjusting this difference of potential a rheostat 7' may be inserted inthe circuit of the battery B. One of the terminals of the resistance7csay 0is connected with one of the binding-posts of the indicatinginstrument 1), while the wire leading from the hinding-post Z isconnected with the other binding-post of the instrument p, it beingobvious that any number of the instruments 1) may be connected inparallel in the same circuit.

The operation is as follows: The movement of the float f by the tide orby a change of level from any cause will be communicated to the wheel 0and thence through the gears h audit to the resistance-wheel K. Themovement of the resistance-wheel will shift the resistance 70 withrespect to the contact Z or,

by reference to the diagram, the contact Z will be moved toward or awayfrom the ter minal 0, and so alter the difference of potential betweenthe points 0 and Z which difference of potential will be responded to byeach of the instruments 19, whose indices will point to the mark on thescale indicating the level of the body of liquid.

For the purpose of ascertaining the voltage of the battery at any time atesting-circuit 3, containing a key 3 and a volt-meter 8*, may beconnected across the terminals 0 and 0. These devices will preferably belocated in or upon the casingA for convenient manipulation. Whenever thetest shows a voltage above or below the normal, the rheostat r is usedto make the necessary adjustment.

One of the principal uses of this invention is at coast-defensefortifications in connection with range-finders for the guns. The stateof the tide must be taken into the calculation when the position andrange of a target are determined, and the indicating instruments 1) maybe located at the range-finders and at any other place or placesdesired. An-

other important use for the invention is in connection with stand-pipes,Water-tanks,

and large vats. The apparatus may also be used to indicate the positionof an elevatorcar by arranging the parts so that the motion of the carwill be transmitted to the gearing which moves the disk K, and locatingthe in stru ments 1) at each floor. Likewise the movements of any bodywhich has a fixed traverse can be indicated. In these cases the scale inthe indicators will not always be in feet.

Having described my invention, I claim A liquid-level indicator,consisting of a float resting upon the body of liquid, a counterweightfor the float, a cord connecting the float and counterweight, a train ofgearing over one of the wheels of which said cord passes, a disk rotatedby said gearing, a rheostat carried by said disk, the disk beingprovided with a groove in its periphery, sectionterminals of therheostat in the form of pins passing through said disk and exposed inthe bottom of said groove, a contact adapted to traverse the groove, asource of electricity in series with the rheostat, and an indicatinginstrument one terminal of which is connected with one terminal of theresistance while its other terminal is connected with said contact,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ALEXIS LE BLANO. W'itnesses:

WM. A. RosENBAUM, JAMEs A. DONNELLY.

